2024 ATF FFL Inspection Violations [Published March 2025]

Written by jon rydberg

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June 15, 2025

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Overview – 2024 ATF FFL Inspection Violations

In March 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) released its annual FFL inspection data for Fiscal Year 2024, revealing key trends in federal firearms licensee (FFL) compliance. With nearly 10,000 inspections conducted nationwide, the report highlights the most common ATF inspection violations, the scope of enforcement actions, and the ongoing challenges FFLs face in maintaining compliance.

This year’s data offers valuable insights for gun stores, manufacturers, importers, and compliance professionals seeking to reduce risk and avoid costly penalties.

Ref: ATF source article

ATF Personnel

Special Agents 2,572
Industry Operations Investigators 857
Administrative/professional/technical 1,893
Total full-time employees 5,322

Firearms Licensees

As of FY 2024, there were 128,690 active federal firearms licensees (FFLs) and 43,956 firearms licenses issued (to include renewals).

Type 01: Dealer 47,776
Type 02: Pawnbroker 6,149
Type 03: Collector 49,689
Type 06: Manufacturer of Ammunition 1,858
Type 07: Manufacturer of Firearms 20,578
Type 08: Importer 1,698
Type 09: Dealer of Destructive Devices 145
Type 10: Manufacturer of Destructive Devices 496
Type 11: Importer of Destructive Devices 301

ATF FFL Inspections

ATF conducted 9,696 firearm compliance inspections in FY 2024. Firearms compliance inspections resulted in the following recommendations:

No violations 5,207
Report of violations 1,689
Warning letters 721
Warning Conference 214
License surrendered/out of business 1,488
Revocations 195
Other dispositions 182

Most Frequent ATF Inspection Violations [2024]

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27 CFR 478.125(e) Failure to maintain an accurate/complete/timely acquisition and disposition record of firearms 37,654
27 CFR 478.21(a) Failure to complete forms as prescribed 32,068
27 CFR 478.124(c)(1) Failure to obtain a completed ATF F 4473 20,767
27 CFR 478.124(c)(3)(iv) Failure to record NICS contact information on an ATF F 4473 15,296
27 CFR 478.123(b) Failure to maintain an accurate/complete/timely licensee disposition record 11,026
27 CFR 478.124(c)(5) Failure by transferor to sign and/or date an ATF F 4473 10,962
27 CFR 478.123(a) Failure to maintain an accurate/complete/timely manufacture or acquisition record 9,323
27 CFR 478.124(c)(3)(i) Failure to verify or record Identification document on ATF F 4473 6,797
27 CFR 478.124(c)(4) Failure to record firearm information on an ATF F 4473 6,752
27 CFR 478.126a Failure to report multiple sales or other dispositions of pistols and revolvers 4,772

Firearms Application Inspections

ATF conducted 8,815 firearms application inspections. Of those inspections, 6,395 were approved and 37 were denied. The remaining 2,383 application inspections were abandoned or withdrawn.

 

National Firearms Act (NFA)

NFA registration applications (and transfer applications) received 1,170,028
NFA registrations processed count of forms 1,373,305
NFA registrations processed (total weapons)/count of weapons 4,731,918
NFA making and transfer tax collected $145,072,242
NFA special occupation tax collected $10,438,289

Note: All taxes collected for NFA go to the general fund of the U.S. Treasury Department.

Tracing

ATF’s National Tracing Center (NTC) is the only organization authorized to trace U.S. and foreign manufactured firearms for local, state, federal and international law enforcement agencies. NTC provides critical information that helps domestic and international law enforcement agencies solve firearms crimes, detect firearms trafficking, and track the intrastate, interstate, and international movement of crime guns.

NTC processed more than 639,295 trace requests in FY 2024.

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